Venus Fest

Virtual Venus Fest took place online from September 28-October 9, 2020. Through a series of FACTOR-supported panels and mentorship sessions, the women and non-binary centred festival explored the theme “the future of music,” seeking a more inclusive, progressive music community especially during the pandemic. Panels included “Is Change Happening?” “Financial Literacy for Artists,” “Re-localizing and Rebuilding our Scenes,” and more. These were well attended and featured a live chat for virtual participants. The online format allowed us to include industry members outside of Toronto who otherwise would not have been able to participate and share their wisdom.

Though the virtual space was new to us, it provided possibilities in programming and audience reach that were new and beneficial. Virtual Venus Fest also included a series of one-on-one mentorship sessions for women and non-binary artists and arts workers, including categories by and for Black and Indigenous artists. This was the first time Venus Fest offered mentorship programming, and the response from mentors and mentees alike was overwhelmingly positive, with a request for similar programming to continue. FACTOR’s support was absolutely crucial in our 2020 programming and allowed us to create free and much needed support for the community during a difficult time.